Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02359517 2001-10-19
METHOD OF FORMING A SYNTHETIC CAP ON A
BULK MATERIAL PILE
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to compositions producing a
synthetic cap for bulk material piles, including waste
and soil, including soil erosion control, using a powder
derived from recycled gypsum wallboard and a process to
make the powder. Constituents for the cap include
liquid and powder. These constituents are mixed to form
a slurry, which is distributed over a material pile.
1o The cover will harden to minimize water infiltration,
nuisance fugitive dust, odor, and affinity to birds,
flies and other insects. Inert fillers and fiber can be
added to the slurry mixtures.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Gypsum wallboard is made of a sheet of gypsum,,
which is covered on both sides with paper facing and
paperboard backing. The wallboard is composed of
2o approximately 93% gypsum and 7% paper, by weight. More
than four million tons of gypsum waste is generated
every year by wallboard manufacturing and installation
and building demolition. Only a small portion of the
scrap is being recycled for agricultural purpose or new
wallboard; most is sent to landfills. It is very
difficult to separate the paper from gypsum to recycle
wallboards. Current technology produces recycled gypsum
that contains about 1.75% paper, a concentration which
is too great and limits the amount of recycled gypsum
3o allowable in new drywall, since the paper content
affects the product s fire rating. However, the paper
content can remain for some uses such as sail
stabilization.
During shipping, processing, or storage, bulk
materials may concentrate in a particular area or site.
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Bulk materials concentrated into piles must be covered
to minimize or prevent blowing dust; water damage; odor;
prevent fires; or movement or erosion of material or
prevent vectors such as birds, flies, and/or other
insects from feeding thereon. Typically bulk materials
are covered by spreading a synthetic material such as a
tarp or foam over exposed portions of the pile. For
example, in power plants, piles of coal may be covered
by spreading an elastomeric geomembrane thereon; the
thickness and construction of the membrane depends on
the length of time the pile is to remain covered and the
expected climatic conditions.
United States Gypsum Company has been marketing a
product called Airtrol Plaster°, which is mixed with
cellulose fiber mulch and water to form a slurry and is
sprayed for a landfill cover or erosion control.
Airtrol Plaster° is made from industrial grade gypsum
and must be mixed with cellulose fiber mulch to form a
cover.
Kramer et al, describes a hardenable plastic foam
cover which is formed by spraying over waste materials.
Similarly, companies such as 3M Environmental Protection
Products of St. Paul, Minn., Chubb Environmental
Security of Exton, Pa., and Russmer of Westchester, Pa.,
all have developed synthetic foams which can be sprayed
to function as a daily cover. The foam spray solution
is expensive, typically 12 to 15 cents per square foot,
substantially more expensive than soil.
Another disadvantage of the daily foam cover
3o substitutes is that they cannot be easily formulated
from recycled materials. The increasing sensitivity
towards the environment by the general population has
greatly increased the demand for recycled products.
State and municipal environmental officials, who operate
or regulate most landfills, have been especially active
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in encouraging use of recycled products. Among the
advantages of recycling is the fact that the waste
material is converted into useful products rather than
taking up rapidly vanishing landfill space. Hence, such
officials are making great efforts to integrate recycled
materials into operations under their control, including
landfill operations.
Another alternative to using earthen material as a
daily cover is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,909,667 to
l0 DeMello and 4,927,317 to Acosta. DeMello and Acosta
disclose a geotextile or sheet-like member, such as
canvas and the like, which is laid over the working face
of a landfill at the end of the operating day. A key
disadvantage of geotextile covers is their expense which
may be as high as $2.25 per square yard. In addition,
geotextiles are subject to mechanical damage,v such as
tears, punctures, requiring replacement or repair.
Moreover, these covers are difficult to apply in
inclement weather.
A daily cover system and method for production of a
cover system has been disclosed in U.S. Pat.
No. 5,161,915 issued November 10, 1992, and US Pat .
No. 5,525,009 issued June 11, 1996 to Hansen. The cover
disclosed system primarily uses cement kiln dust or
Portland cement and flyash, or Portland cement crushed
stone dust as a binder, and is limited since the
ingredients may be costly, inefficient, and perhaps may
even be an environmental hazard, and therefore defeating
the aim of the invention, i.e. to cover waste piles and
prevent them from being hazard. The disclosed
ingredients can be highly caustic and a potential
environmental hazard.
Cement kiln dust is not widely available. In
August 1999, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(USEPA) proposed new regulations for management of
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cement kiln dust, which was designated as "high-volume,
low toxicity" special wastes requiring individualized
treatment under the Resource Conservation and Recovery
Act (RCRA). Although the proposed rule does not limit
the beneficial use of cement kiln dust in a commercial
- landfill, the handling and transportation regulations
could potentially pose difficulties for customers and
haulers. In most cases when cement kiln dust is used as
a binder, it may take a long time for the slurry to
l0 harden. If a mixture of Portland cement and flyash, or
a mixture of Portland cement and aggregate dust is used
for binding, the result may be expensive. A binder
using a small concentration of Portland cement is slow
to harden.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the above stated difficulties for using
recycled gypsum wallboard and limitations and
shortcomings of sprayable covers there still exists a
need in the art to develop new better performing
applications for recycled gypsum wallboard and an
alternative to sprayable cover which uses inexpensive,
widely available, and environmentally friendly recycled
materials.
More specifically, it is a purpose of this
invention to provide a method of processing recycled
gypsum wallboard and applications for processed recycled
gypsum wallboard.
More specifically, it i's a purpose of this
invention to provide a method of manufacturing for
sprayable cover which uses widely available recycled
materials or by-products as a binder.
A further objective of this invention is to be able
to provide a sprayable cover that has minimal
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environmental hazards.
A further objective of this invention is to be able
to provide a sprayable cover that can form and harden
within a short period of time.
The aforementioned objectives are achieved by a
sprayable cover in accords with the present invention.
This invention provides a method for converting
recycled gypsum wallboard to a useful powder'arid
compositions for a sprayable mixture, which consists of
l0 the powder made from recycled gypsum wallboard, inert
filler, and liquid.
Recycled gypsum wallboard can be very large in
size. Large gypsum wallboard, including the paper
facing, should be crushed into small pieces then
pulverized into a powder with 90% particles passing a
No. 30 sieve. The powder virtually consists of
approximately 93~ gypsum and 7% cellulose fiber.
Depending on the end application, a portion of paper
facing can be easily screened out during the crushing
2o and pulverizing processes.
The powder is then heated to form a hemi-hydrate or
anhydrate to obtain cementitious properties. Pulverized
recycled gypsum is heated between 120°C to 300°C to
obtain a hemi-hydrate, and is heated over 300°C to
obtain anhydrate. Alpha-hemyhydrate is formed when
gypsum is heated in an autoclave between 120 to 200°C,
and beta-hemihydrate is generated when gypsum is heated
in a dry furnace between 120°C to 300°C. Alpha-
hemihydrate and beta-hemihydrate have different
3o morphologies and alpha-hemihy~rate has lower water
requirements than beta-hemihydrate, causing difference
in strength of hardened gypsum products.
The cellulose fiber starts charring when it is
heated in excess of 250°C. All cellulose fiber will be
destroyed when heated over 300°C. For cover
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applications, it is preferably that the powder is heated
below 250°C so the fiber remains and energy consumption
is minimized.
The invention also incorporates a composition for a
cover or bulk piles and control or prevention of soil
erosion. The cover may contain approximately 30 to 70%
liquid, approximately 5 to 60% heated powder, up to 60%
inert filler, up to 3% retarder when the powder is
hemihydrate and up to 15% fiber.
to The liquid can include water, landfill leachate,
and/or industrial wastewater. The powder can be alpha-
hemihydrate, beta-hemihydrate or anhydrate depending on
preparation. The hydration process for alpha-
hemihydrate and beta-hemihydrate are the same. A
retarder is a material which will lengthen the setting
time of the gypsum plaster. This may inelude.sodium
citrate. In the presence of water, hemihydrate and
anhydrate react as follows:
CaSOq . ~Fi20 + l~Fi20 ~ CaSOq . 2H20
CaS09 + 2H20 ~ CaSOq . 2H20
Inert fillers may include coal flyash, fine sand,
ground silica, clay or crushed stone dust. Based on
ASTM Specification C618, coal flyash is classified into
either Class C or Class F. Flyash belongs to Class F if
its (SiO2+A12O3+Fe2O3) concentration is greater than 70 % ,
and belongs to Class C if its (Si02+A1203+Fe203)
concentration is at least 50%' and less than 70%.
Usually, Class F flyash has a low concentration of Ca0
and exhibit pozzolanic properties, but Class C flyashes
contain up to 20% Ca0 and exhibit cementitious
properties, and thus can be directly used as a binder.
Type F flyash is a pozzolanic material and possesses
CA 02359517 2001-10-19
little or no cementitious value. In the presence of
moisture, it will chemically react with calcium
hydroxide at ordinary temperature to form compounds
possessing cementitious properties. In this invention,
it is a type F flyash with a high carbon content which
is preferred.
The fibers may include cellulose such as shredded
paper, finely shredded wood fibers, chopped straw or
hay. The fibers may also include plastic fibers such as
to polyethylene terephthalate.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Typically gypsum wallboard has a size of 4'x 8' and
can vary up to three quarters of an inch in thickness.
Recycled gypsum wallboard can be or may approach this
size. Large gypsum wallboard, together including the
paper facing, should immediately be crushed into pieces
less than ten inches, then pulverized into a powder
containing particles with 90% passing through a 30 mesh
screen. Different mechanical devices can be used to
crush gypsum wallboard. It was found that the Grizzly
Lump Breaker is exceptional for crushing gypsum
wallboard. The feed opening in the crusher can be sized
up to four feet in width to accommodate all sizes of
gypsum wallboard. Gypsum wallboard on a weight basis,
consists of approximately 93% gypsum and 7% paper.
Depending on the application, if less paper is desired,
a screen may be installed at the discharge opening of
the crusher to screen out a portion of the paper during
the crushing process.
Crushed gypsum wallboard pieces can now be
pulverized into powder. Since gypsum is very soft, a
hammer mill can easily pulverize gypsum wallboard pieces
into powder. The powder is actually a mixture of small
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paper fiber and gypsum particles. It is desirable that
9Og particles of the powder pass a No. 3C mesh sieve.
A screen may also installed in the hammer mill so some
paper can be screened out if the paper content is too
high.
In order for the powder to obtain cementitious
properties it is then heated to convert gypsum laden
powder into a hemihydrate or anhydrate. When gypsum is
heated between 120°C to 300°C, a hemi-hydrate is
obtained; if heated above 300°C, an anhydrate is
obtained. The dehydration process can be shown as
follows:
CaS04 .~2H20 , CaS04 . ~i20 + l~Fi20
IS
CaSOq . ~i20 , CaSOq + ~H2p
CaS09.2H20 ~ CaSOq + 2H20
The heating process can be carried out in a
commercially available aggregate dryer or rotary or
shaft kiln. The heating temperature in an aggregate
dryer is usually moderate and can only produce
hemihydrate. Production of anhydrate requires a higher
temperature and can be obtained by using a rotary kiln.
If gypsum powder is heated in an aqueous
environment, alpha-hemyhydrate is obtained. Depending
on the properties of gypsum powder and catalyst used, it
requires a temperature of 80 to 300°C to convert gypsum
to alpha-hemihydrate. Alpha-hemihydrate and beta-
hemihydrate have the same chemical composition but
different morphologies which require different water
requirements. Alpha-hemihydrate has a lower water
requirement and higher strength than a beta-hemihydrate.
The paper fiber starts to char when heated over
CA 02359517 2001-10-19
_ g _
250°C in a furnace. All paper fiber will be completely
burnt when heated above 300°C. For cover applications,
it is preferred that the powder is heated at
temperatures below 250°C to ensure that paper fiber
remains and energy consumption required for heating is
minimized.
The invention also incorporates a composition of a
cover for bulk material piles-and soil erosion"control,
comprising approximately 30'to 70% liquid, about 5 to
l0 60% percent powder derived from recycled gypsum
wallboard, up to 60% inert filler, up to 3% retarder
when the powder is hemihydrate, and up to 15% of
additional fiber. These constituents may be mixed and
form a slurry, which is sprayed to form an effective
cover layer over soil, refuse at a dump site, or grains
in a stockpile. Typically, the slurry will, form and
harden within several hours.
The liquid may comprise water, landfill leachate,
and/or industrial wastewater. The powder can be alpha-
2o hemihydrate, beta-hemi-hydrate or anhydrate depending on
heating conditions. The hydration processes of alpha-
hemihydrate and beta-hemihydrate are the same. In the
presence of water, either form of hemihydrate and
anhydrate hydrate as follows:
CaSO9.;~H20 + l~Fi20 ~ CaS09.2H20
CaS09 + 2H20 -- CaS04.2H20
3o The materials which may be used as inert fillers
include coal flyash, pulverized silica, or ceramics,
shredded paper, pulverized waste glasses, crushed stone
dust, or shredded construction and/or demolition debris.
Based on ASTM Specification C618, coal flyash is
classified into Class C and Class F. Flyash belongs to
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Class F if its (Si02+A120,;+Fe20,;) concentration is greater
than 70%, and belongs to Class C if its
(Si02+A120~+Fe20,,) concentration is at least 50 % and less
than 70%. Usually, Class F flyashes have a low
concentration of Ca0 and exhibit pozzolanic properties,
but Class C flyashes contain up to 20% Ca0 and exhibit
cementitious properties. Type C flyash has cementitious
properties and can be directly used as a binder: Type F
flyash exhibit pozzolanic properties and contain
l0 possesses little or no cementitious value. In the
presence of moisture, Type F will chemically react with
calcium hydroxides at ordinary temperatures to form
compounds possessing cementitious properties. In this
invention, it is preferred to use a type F flyash
15 containing a high carbon content.
Construction and demolition debris c~~tprises waste
materials associated with the razing of buildings,
roads, bridges, and other structures and/or debris
associated with the construction or renovation of
20 buildings. It typically includes, but is not limited
to, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, concrete, bricks,
lumber, plaster and plasterboard, insulation material,
shingles and roofing material, floor, wall and ceiling
tile, asphalt, glass, pipes and wires, carpet,
25 wallpaper, felt and other items physically attached to
the structure, including compacted appliances,
structural fabrics, paper or cardboard packaging.
Typically excluded from construction and demolition
debris are materials that pose an undue risk to public
30 health or the environment such as industrial waste or
by-products, paint, tar, solvents, creosote, adhesives
and the like. Construction debris should be shredded
into size smaller than one-eighth of an inch.
The component used in the liquid portion of the
35 mixture may include water, landfill leachate, and/or
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industrial wastewater. Although any of these liquids
will su~fice, water is preferred since readily it is
available. Water quality may vary including turbid,
polluted, and/or non-potable water. Industrial
wastewater may also be used. These may be effective as a
liquid constituent provided that they do not contain
materials which react with other constituents during
mixing. Landfill leachate, created by percolation of
water through buried refuse at a landfill, can also be
to used. Disposal and treatment of landfill leachate are
troublesome and expensive, the use of landf ill leachate
may provide an effective method of its disposal. It
should be noted that use of landfill leachate and
industrial wastewater as the liquid component may
require increased safety precautions.
If additional fiber is needed, the fiber of the
present invention include shredded paper, wood, textile,
chopped straw and hay, glass and plastic fibers. The
paper facing on wallboard is crushed and pulverized into
2o very small fibers. If additional fiber is required,
preferably, shredded newspaper or shredded mixed waste
paper should be used because of its physical properties
and commercial availability. Papers can be shredded
into particles with mean diameter less than one-half
inch. These fibers can include shredded magazines,
phone books, corrugated containers, junk mail, office
paper, etc. Shredded wood fibers may also be used as a
component provided that the wood is finely shredded.
The wood fiber must be in a string or hair-like shape
such as fine excelsior. Wood'chips are not satisfactory
for use as a cellulose fiber constituent.
Fibers that including glass, plastic, textile
fibers and straw are preferably short in length and
narrow in diameter, approximately 1/8 inch in diameter
and 1/4 inch in length being the maximum size for a
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sprayable composition.
The synthetic cover in the present invention is
formed mixed by filling the mixing tank with a
predetermined amount of liquid constituent such as
water, landfill leachate, or industrial wastewater. If
additional fiber is needed, the proper amount of fiber
is then loaded into the mixer. The agitator is
activated to mix the cellulose fibers and plastic with
the liquid. Typically, it is necessary to run the
to agitator for approximately a minute or longer to
adequately mix the constituents. The heated powder from
recycled gypsum wallboard and inert fillers is then
placed in the mixer where it is thoroughly mechanically
mixed with the liquid, cellulose and plastic fibers.
The mixing time may vary depending upon the percentage
of each constituent. However, the materiai~ should be
mixed until the mixture has a thick, viscous "milk
shake" consistency.
After the mixture is properly agitated, it is
uniformly sprayed onto the bulk pile surface using any
conventional hydroseeding machine. The thickness of the
sprayed layer varies from one-eighth to one-quarter of
an inch. After the entire surface area has been
sprayed, the slurry will adhere to the bulk pile or soil
and cohere to itself, and will harden within hours.
Since the setting time is short, the pile should be
sprayed very quickly and the applicator and mixing unit
must be cleaned immediately thereafter. Typically,
water will suffice to clean the apparatus. _
The pH of recycled gypsum wallboard cover is
normally in the range of 6 to 9, when using clean water.
The cover is non-toxic, non-combustible, and harmless to
fish, birds, plants and animals.
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EXAMPLE 1
Some drywall scraps were pulverized using a hammer
mill and the paper facing was separated during grinding.
The pulverized drywall was heated at 450°F (232°C) for 2
hours. Gypsum in the drywall is converted to beta-
hemihydrate by heating. A cover composition was
designed utilizing constituents and parameter'svshown in
Table 1. These constituents were mixed as previously
to discussed. The mixture was then applied as a cover on a
tray of soil. The mixture had sufficient viscosity
which properly adhered to the soil and hardened within
two hours.
A test using a mixture of 90% Portland cement and
10% flyash as binder and shredded papers as fiber.
During the mixing and application, the hemi~hyd.rate based
cover exhibited significantly better plasticity and
adherence to soil than a mixture composed of Portland
cement and flyash. It took more than 10 hours for the
Portland cement and flyash cover to harden. Also, the
cover made from heated recycled gypsum wallboard powder
depicted a smoother appearance more than the mixture of
Portland cement and flyash cover.
Table 1
Constituent ~rpe Weight Mixture
(kg) Percentage
(Wt%)
Liquid Water 2
~
.
Binder Beta-Hemihydrate (Pulverized drywall3.0 52
6
without paper heated at 450 F) .
Retarder Sodium Citrate 0
0
. 0.1
05
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EXAMPLE 2
In another experiment, drywall scraps without paper
facing were pulverized and heated at 450°F, and then
mixed with shredded paper and water. The mixing
proportion is summarized in Table 2. The mixing and
application processes were the same as described as in
Example 1 above. The sprayed-cover hardened'within one
hour and exhibited a very smooth appearance.
to The cover over the tray of soil was placed in the
ambient outdoor environment and exposed to sunlight and
rain during the month of June for a period of more than
four weeks and has undergone more than 20 cycles of wet
and dry weather yet remains in excellent condition with
minimal shrinkage and no cracking.
Table 2
Constituent Weight Mixture
Type
(kg) Percentage
(Wt%)
Liquid Water
4.0 60.6
Binder Beta-Hemihydrate (Pulverized 2.5 3~.g
drywall
without paper heated at 450 F)
Fiber Shredded Mixed a ers 0.1 1.6
EXAMPLE 3
In another experiment, drywall scraps with paper
facing were pulverized and heated at 450°F, and then
mixed with water. The mixing proportion is summarized in
Table 3. The mixing and application processes were the
same as described as above in Example 1. The sprayed
cover hardened within one hour and exhibited a very
smooth appearance.
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Table 3
Constituent Weight Mixture
T~rpe
(kg) Percentage
(Wt%)
Liquid Water 4.0 67.8
Binder Pulverized drywall With 1.9 32.2
a er heated at 4.50F
EXAMPLE 4
In another test, drywall with paper facing was
pulverized and heated at 450°F, and then mixed with
crushed waste glass and water. The mixing proportion is
summarized in Table 4. The mixing and application
processes were the same as described as above. The
sprayed cover hardened within 45 minutes and exhibited a
very smooth appearance.
Tab 1 a 4
Constituent ~rpe Weight Mixture
(kg) Percentage
(Wt%)
Liquid Water 4.0 61
5
.
Binder Pulverized drywall with 1.5 23.0
paper heated at 450F
Filler Pulverized mixed waste 1 15
5
lasses .
EXAMPLE 5
In another test, drywall with paper facing was
pulverized and heated at 450°F, and then mixed with ASTM
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Type F coal flyash and water. The mixing proportion is
s~.ammarized in Table 5. The mixing and application
processes were the same as described as above. The
sprayed cover hardened within 30 minutes and exhibited a
very smooth appearance.
Table 5
Constituent Weight Mixture
Type
(kg) Percentage
(Wt%)
Liquid Water 2.7 35.1
Binder Pulverized drywall with 0.5 6
5
- paper heated at 450F .
Filler a F coal fl ash 4.5 58.4
EXAMPLE 6
In another test, drywall with paper facing was
pulverized and heated at 450°F, and then mixed with
crushed stone dust and water. The mixing proportion is
summarized in Table 6. The mixing and application
processes were the same as described as above. The
sprayed cover hardened within 35 minutes and exhibited a
very smooth appearance.
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Table 6
Constituent Weight Mixture
Type (kg) Percentage
(Wt%)
Liquid Water 4.5 46.9
Binder Pulverized drywall with 4.5 46.9
paper heated at 450F ,
Filler Crushed stone dust 0.5 5.2
Fiber Shredded paper 0.1 1.0
Retarder Sodium Citrate 0.0005 0.005
The forgoing has described the invention and certain
embodiments thereof. It is to be understood that the
invention is not necessarily limited to the precise
2o embodiments described therein but variously practiced
with the scope of the following claims.
